The House and Senate gave final passage Monday to a bill by Hammond Rep. Chris Broadwater, a Republican, that codifies rules that were put in place earlier this year by the state Department of Children and Family Services.

The new law also prohibits welfare money being spent on video arcades, bail bond companies, cruise ships, psychics, adult-entertainment businesses, nightclubs and bars.

The restrictions cover the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program and the Kinship Care Subsidy Program. Both programs pay cash assistance to low-income families for items like food, clothing and housing.

SOON BE ILLEGAL FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS TO SPEND THEIR MONEY AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS AND BUSINESSES. WDSU NEWS REPORTER TRAVERS MACKEL IS LIVE AT FIVE WITH THE LATEST. IT CAME DOWN TO THE WIRE - THE FINAL DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT LAWMAKERS IN BATON ROUGE GAVE FINAL PASSAGE TO A BILL LIMITING WHERE FEDERAL ASSISTANT MONEY CAN BE SPENT. THE MOVE COMES AFTER MEDIA REPORTS, INCLUDING THOSE DONE BY WDSU, SHOWED THAT MONEY DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE FINANCIALLY WAS BEING SPENT AT STRIP CLUBS, TATTOO PARLORS AND BARS. THE NEW LAW PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS UNANIMOUSLY AND IS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL. THE LEGIALTION MAKES IT ILLEGAL TO USE LOUISIANA PURCHASE CARDS AT ANY ESTABLISHMENT WHERE PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 ARE NOT PERMITTED. AT ANY ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS AND AT NAIL SALONS ..... ....TATTOO PARLORS, NIGHTCLUBS, JEWELERY STORES, CRUISE SHIPS AND AT ANY PSYCHIC BUSINESSES. THE LAW SAYS ANYONE CAUGHT VIOLATING THESE LAWS WILL FACE PUNISHMENT: LOSING ALL WELFARE BENEFITS FOR A FIRST OFFENSE FOR A YEAR, TWO YEARS FOR A SECOND OFFENSE AND LOSING THE BENEFIT PERMANENTLY FOR A THIRD OFFENSE. ON THIS SECOND DAY OF HURRICANE

Thousands of California acres are ablaze as firefighters battle at least 21 wildfires throughout the state. While many of those fires are small or mostly contained, the wind and heat that are spreading the Rocky Fire in Northern California -- and the...